diff --git a/sound/core/pcm_native.c b/sound/core/pcm_native.c
index c6698efb44c..0e972485449 100644
--- a/sound/core/pcm_native.c
+++ b/sound/core/pcm_native.c
@@ -2036,6 +2036,12 @@ int snd_pcm_open_substream(struct snd_pcm *pcm, int stream,
 		goto error;
 	}
 
+	if (substream->ops == NULL) {
+		snd_printd("cannot open back end PCMs directly\n");
+		err = -ENODEV;
+		goto error;
+	}
+
 	if ((err = substream->ops->open(substream)) < 0)
 		goto error;